6. To have to

To have to is a modal verb, a modal expression. As a modal verb to have to is not a defective verb. It can have the category of person and number and all tense-aspect forms as well as verbals (неличные формы глагола: the Gerund, the Infinitive and the Participle). It is followed by a to-Infinitive. In the negative and interrogative sentences the auxiliary verb to do is used with to have to.

To have to expresses:

1. Obligation or necessity arising out of circumstances

• We use to have to + only the Indefinite Infinitive Active and Passive in affirmative, negative and interrogative sentences

• Its meaning is close to that of ‘to be obliged to’ (быть обязанным)

• To have to corresponds to the Russian: приходится, вынужден, должен

• He has fallen ill, so I have to change my plans.

• She had to put off her visit to the doctor.

• You will have to come again.

• Something has to be done.

• The form has to be signed in the presence of a witness.

• I have had to remind him several times to return my book.

• I didn’t have to walk. I took a taxi.

• Do you have to work so hard?

• Why does he have to go there?

• When I was your age, I had to walk to school!

• I had to cut down on fats or else I would have got overweight.

Note:

• ‘to have to’ is close in its meaning to ‘must’ when we express present obligation or necessity. We use ‘must’ or ‘have to’ when we want to say that somebody has an obligation to do something or that it is necessary for them to do it. (present reference)

• She is short of time so she has to go by air. = She is short of time so she must go by air.

• Sorry, I must leave now. = Sorry, I have to leave now. (No difference)

• You must come to the meeting tomorrow.

• She has to travel to find work.

• ‘had to’ replaces ‘must’ to express past obligation or necessity. In the past ‘had to’ shows a fulfilled obligation. (past reference)

• She had to do a lot of things when we were in the country (должна была делать; приходилось) (= was obliged to do and did it)

• They made such a noise that I had to send him to make inquires. (…мне пришлось отправить его узнать/выяснить; it was necessary and I did it)

• ‘will have to’ replaces ‘must’ to express future obligation or necessity.

• You will have to take a taxi if you want to catch the train. (future reference)

• There is sometimes difference between ‘must’ and ‘have to’ in the present. In everyday statements of necessity ‘have to’ is used more commonly than ‘must’:

• ‘must’ is usually stronger than ‘have to’ and can indicate urgency (настойчивость; назойливость; безотлагательность, крайняя необходимость) or stress importance.

  • I’m looking for Sue. I have to talk to her about our lunch date tomorrow. I can’t meet her for lunch because I have to go to a business meeting at 1.00. (the speaker is simply saying, ‘I need to do this and I need to do that’)

  • Where is Sue? I must talk to her right now; I have an urgent message (срочное сообщение/извещение/письмо) for her. (The speaker is strongly saying, ‘This is very important’)

  • You must start working harder. (I say so)

  • You have to turn left here. (It’s the law)

• We normally use must when the authority (распоряжение, разрешение) comes from the speaker; must describe a personal obligation.

• You must be at home by 10. (= I insist that you should be at home by 10.)

• I’ve got a terrible pain in my back. I must go and see the doctor. (= I think it is necessary)

• I must see the head teacher. (… I want to discuss something with her)

• We normally use have to when the authority comes from outside the speaker; have to describes obligation made by someone else.

• I have to be at home by 10 o’clock. (= my parents insist)

• I have to go and see the doctor at 9.00 tomorrow morning. (= I have got an appointment)

• I have to see the head teacher. (… she has called me to her office)

2. In spoken English the meaning of obligation and necessity is also expressed by ‘have got to’

• He has got to go right now. (Ему придется уходить прямо сейчас)

• Has he got to go right now?

• He hasn’t got to go right now.

• We normally use ‘had to’, not ‘had got to’ for the past.

• We’ve got to move house. (informal; present reference)

• They had to move house. (past reference)

• ‘Have to’ and ‘have got to’ are interchangeable for single actions.

• I have to check the oil level in the car. = I have got to check the oil level in the car. (= I’ve got to check the oil level in the car.)

• But we normally use ‘have to’ (not: ‘have got to’) for things that happened repeatedly, especially with adverbs of frequency (often, always, regularly)

• I always have to do the shopping. (Not: I always have got to do the shopping.)

• Do you ever have to get up at 5?

3. Absence of necessity = there is no obligation or necessity to do something.

• don’t have to = it is not necessary to do something (present reference)

• didn’t have to = it was not necessary to do something and he didn’t (past reference)

• don’t have to/don’t need to/needn’t + the Indefinite Infinitive (present reference)

• Many women don’t have to work. Do many women have to work?

• You don’t have to learn any typing skills.

• You don’t need to take the dog for a walk, I will do it.

• You don’t have to water the plants again.

• You don’t need to water the plants again.

• You needn’t water the plants again. = It is not necessary to water the plants again.

• didn’t have to (the action didn’t take place); didn’t need to (past reference)

• He didn’t have to buy this book (He knew it was unnecessary and he didn’t buy it ему не пришлось покупать книгу)

• We didn’t have to learn a foreign language when we were students.

• She didn’t need to pay the whole amount today. (We don’t know whether she paid it or not.)

• Did you have to work late yesterday? / Did you need to work late yesterday?

• Did you have to get up so early? / Did you need to get up so early? (= Was it necessary for you to get up so early?)

Note 1: ‘mustn’t’ does not mean the same as ‘don’t have to’

• ‘You mustn’t do something’ = it is necessary that you do not do it (so, don’t do it); it is against the rules.

• ‘mustn’t’ describes something which is not allowed. (mustn’t - передает значение запрещения)

• You mustn’t talk about politics. (= It is necessary that you do not talk about politics.)

• You mustn’t leave any bags here. (It’s against the rules.)

• You mustn’t smoke in the patients’ ward. (=Don’t smoke here/prohibition)

• ‘You don’t have to do something’ = it is not necessary for you to do it, but you can do it if you want.

• ‘don’t have to’ describes something which is not necessary. (don’t have to - передает значение отсутствия необходимости)

• You don’t have to stay here. (= It is not necessary for you to stay here, but you can if you want.)

Note 2: must and have to have different meanings in questions

• Must I wash the car now? (= Do you insist that I should wash the car now?)

• Do I have to wash the car now? (= Is it necessary for me to wash the car now?)

• Must I do my homework now? (= Do you insist that I should do my homework now?)

• Do I have to do my homework now? (= Is it necessary for me to do my homework now?)